


Coffee Hearts

by IceSapphire27



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec works in a café, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Cafe AU, Coffee, Human!Alec, I APOLOGIZE, M/M, Magnus is still a warlock, Malec, Mysterious Coffee Thief, Sorry I cursed like once, Spoiler for Star Trek Into Darkness, but Alec is human, sorry - Freeform, strangely there might actually be some plot other than Malec, warlock!Magnus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-06-04 17:15:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6667435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceSapphire27/pseuds/IceSapphire27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coffee Shop AU. Malec is the main focus. Alec is works in this new café in the city but starts noticing that coffee is disappearing and can't figure out why. Will he find out the truth about who the thief is? Pretty much if Alec worked at the place Magnus stole coffee from, but wasn't a Shadowhunter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Thief

**Author's Note:**

> I already said this, but Alec is human. I think. Magnus, not so much. Alec's also 19 right now and Max is 10. Magnus is um... I don't know. No one really does. That's it. Sorry about the Star Trek references. Couldn't help it.

Alec had made it his mission to find the thief.

He spent every morning waiting for 9:15 am. He internally kept track of every cup of coffee during his shift and where it went, until, like clockwork, one disappeared before 9:30. Always a medium coffee.

Alec had no idea where they went. One moment it was on a counter, and the next it was gone. Once, he even actively watched every cup until someone picked it up, determined to find out where it went. But no one took it. Alec blinked and it disappeared without a trace, except for the impatient customer it left behind.

It had gotten to the point where Alec just conceded and made an extra cup so he wouldn’t have to scramble to make another. It didn’t take much effort, but accepting that this was a regular occurrence just made him more determined to catch the one responsible

He tried to tell other employees in the beginning, assuming that they moved the cups or misplaced them. Eventually, Alec realized that they were actually disappearing, but no one else seemed to notice. Then again, maybe the thief, whoever they are, only stole during his shift. And even though Alec shared his shift with someone else, she had a tendency to be late and a bit absent minded. Not that it particularly bothered him. She had two other jobs and college to worry about. Besides, business was considerably slower in the mornings.

Speaking of which, there were no customers to serve. The café was full, but everyone had already ordered. In the mornings the café was like a study hall. The majority of the clientele was college students who generally preferred to order to stay and do work on the metal tables. Half them had come over an hour ago.

Alec smiled thinking about how strange it would be to see Jace or Izzy studying like that for exams, necks bent and silent with focus. He supposed they probably were, what with midterms coming up. They were going to college abroad in the London. Alec had been accepted there too, but he preferred to stay closer to home. Plus, someone had to keep Max company.

A beep from his phone brought him out of his thoughts. It was a reminder. He glanced at his watch. 9:12 am.

Sighing, Alec stood from his stool, grabbed a cup, and went to work.

* * *

After making the coffee, and adding a little more foam in the cappuccino than he should have, Alec placed the cup on the marble surface. He realized he forgot a sleeve and ran back to get one, hoping the cup didn’t leave before he returned.

He wanted the coffee thief to know what it was they were drinking. Over the course of the last week or so, Alec had been experimenting with the coffee after he realized that the thief never took certain types. Which meant they had a preference. And he did his best to figure it out by making a different type of coffee every day. Getting any information about the thief brought Alec one step closer to them.

Alec brought the sleeve to the counter and checked off the boxes with a black sharpie. He slipped the sleeve on the warm cup. There. It was done.

He sat down on the stool, next to the counter, and rested his cheek in his palm, idly wondering who it was he made coffee for every day. Alec closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax. He dozed off, dreaming of gold eyes that were far too light to belong to Jace.

* * *

 "And here I thought I was the one who slept on the job.”

Alec opened his eyes blearily and looked up at the girl in front of him. She was wearing jeans and a new band shirt, no apron. It looked like she just arrived. Maia usually overslept because of her nightshift in the Jade Wolf, but there was usually someone manning the store. Not this time though.

“Well, at least I’m on the right side of the counter,” Alec responded grumpily. Maia laughed and let herself in. She put on her apron and tied her long, brown hair up to keep it out of her eyes.

Sitting up from his slumped position on the plastic couther, Alec glanced at his watch and groaned. He had slept for 45 minutes.

Scanning the faces in the café, Alec signed in relief. No new faces. Thank the Angel.

“Who’d you make this for?” Maia asked confused.

“What?” Alec asked.

She was pointed to the cold cup of coffee in front of him. Maia had a curious look on her face, but Alec was too busy staring at the cup.

Reaching out, as though not believing it was real, Alec drew his hand back in surprise when he felt the cardboard against his fingertips. Very aware of Maia’s strange looks, he picked up the cup and brought it to his lips. He took a sip and wrinkled his nose in disgust. Too much sugar.

But the thief liked sugar. One day, Alec made black coffee and an entire box of sugar packets disappeared that day. Alec never understood, but didn’t question it. He just made sure there was enough sugar each day.

The coffee thief never missed a day before. Even on days when he made coffee they didn’t like, something went missing. Every time.

He threw the hour-old coffee away. Grabbing a rag, Alec started wiping down the counter. Maia watched him for a minute, before shrugging and going back to work. Sometimes Alec did strange things.

The door chimed as two customers walked in: a short red-head and a tall teen with brown hair. The best Alec could guess was that they were new. He had never seen them before and they spent a few minutes looking at the menu. Which was strange because most of the people who came here were regulars.

Alec made an attempt to smile and asked “what can I do for you?”

They ordered to stay and started talking while they waited. Maia was making their coffee, so Alec just stood awkwardly in front of them, trying not to eavesdrop, which was kind of impossible since they were two feet away from him.

They couldn’t have been older than eighteen. The girl was short and had red, curly hair tied up in a bun with a pencil. There was paint on her shirt and jeans as though she had just finished painting a mural. On the other hand, the tall, brown haired boy had glasses and wore a Harry Potter shirt with baggy jeans. He kinda resembled Max, if Max ever became an awkward teenager. Hopefully not.

“Isn’t it just Wrath of Khan with Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine?” the red-head girl asked.

“Yeah, but in the end instead of Spock dying it was Kirk,” the tall one responded eagerly. Just like Max when it came to Star Trek. That kid could barely stop talking about it when Into Darkness came out.

“What’s the next movie called?”

“Star Trek Beyond. Clary, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to see it with me when it comes out?” the teen asked looking nervous.

Alec wanted to slam his head into the counter. Why couldn’t he be anywhere else? Of all the times, the guy decides now to ask her out.

“Sure. It’s much more fun going out with friends,” the red-head responded. She was obviously missing the implication in his question.

“Really? Yeah, that’s great.” He looked disappointed. She didn’t realize he was asking her out.

“When is it?”

“July 22,” Alec replied automatically. They turned to him like they just noticed he was there. Thankfully, Maia showed up in that minute and Alec could quietly slip away. Maia was confused why he left, but Alec just gave her a grateful look at her and she finished up with Clary and whats-his-face.

He sat down on the stool again and let his thoughts wander to what happened earlier. There had to be a reason why they didn’t steal coffee today. Maybe they didn’t have time today. Or maybe they stole from another place? Shouldn’t Alec be happy they’re not stealing anymore? The answer should have been yes, but instead he felt worry in his stomach. Did something happen?

Lost in his thoughts, Alec didn’t notice Maia glance at him with concern. She knew something was wrong.

In the meanwhile, Magnus woke up on the other side of the city, in a cell with a black eye and split lip. The stone floor was covered in blood.


	2. Even Church

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos and the amazing comments!! They really made my day ;) 
> 
> Also I'm really sorry. I'm not good at updating at any reasonable interval. So, I can't make any promises for when the next chapter will come out. But it will. Eventually. 
> 
> Please excuse the bad writing.

Magnus woke up with massive headache and a strange feeling of falling. It was completely silent except for the blood pounding in his ears. The only thing Magnus knew for sure was that it was cold and everything hurt.

His body was sore, his arm ached, and his left eye throbbed painfully. If he didn't know any better he'd say he was punched in the face. But he couldn't remember that happening. In fact, he couldn't remember anything that happened last night.

Magnus opened his eyes a crack and regretted it instantly. There was very little light, but whatever he could see was blocked by blue spots swimming in his vision. Closing his eyes, Magnus sighed. He had experienced enough hangovers to recognize the signs. But he didn't remember drinking.

He frowned. This didn't feel right. Something was wrong.

Leaning back a little, Magnus let his head fall back on the cold surface behind him. The second the back of his head touched the presumed wall, a flare of pain shot through his skull. Magnus hissed and pulled away. _What the hell?_ He reached up to the base of his head and his fingers came back wet.

Fuck. This was bad.

"Way to state the obvious," Magnus whispered to himself.

Opening his eyes fully, he tried his best to get his bearings.

He was in a stone cavern. It looked almost natural until he noticed how perfect the shape of the room was. It was a semi-circle, most definitely carved based on the smooth surface of the walls. Magnus tried to find the ceiling, but not even his feline eyes could see through the gloom.

It was most definitely a cell. Directly across from him, a wall of silver bars rose from the black, marble floor to the unreachable ceiling. The bars seemed to give off a faint white glow, and the only other source of light was a pair of shackles made of the same material. They were bolted to the floor in the center of the room.

But the shackles weren't empty.

Standing up unsteadily, Magnus walked towards the unresponsive body on the floor. He felt liquid under his feet and realized two things: he was barefoot and his future cellmate was probably dead. There was a pool of blood on the floor, much too large for comfort. Whoever they were, they were bleeding out.

Magnus went quickly to them and kneeled. They were lying on their side, shackles held out away from their body. He couldn't tell if they were breathing. Reaching out to their neck, he found their pulse and let out a breath of relief. They were alive.

His yellow-green eyes scanned their body. They looked like an average teenager: long dark hair, a t-shirt, ripped jeans and boots. At least until he noticed the tail. Three feet long and covered with purple scales, their tail twitched slightly. A warlock mark.

Magnus had to admit he wasn't surprised. This was no coincidence. Both of them were targeted for a reason. But that didn't matter now. They were still bleeding out. Even if they were alive now, they wouldn't be for long.

Magnus found the wound to match the growing lake of blood. Placing his hand gently on the wound, he tried to heal them the best he could. He was never that good with healing magic, but even Magnus was surprised. A few sparks jumped between his fingers before dying out completely.

"It's gone."

He looked up at the voice. Brown eyes met his with an unspoken apology. They weren't surprised or concerned by the sight of a complete stranger watching them. They were expecting a replacement. Just like they were a replacement for the one before. They had failed, now someone else had to try instead.

"How?" Magnus asked. Even when he was alone, he could always feel the energy beneath his skin. It was there for him when no one else could be. How could it be gone?

The wounded warlock turned on their back and glanced at the glowing metal behind them. The silver bars had demon tongue inscribed on it. Incantations thousands of years old. It was impossible to escape from the inside.

Following their gaze, Magnus understood. It wasn't his first time dealing with this type of magic. Using demon tongue was dangerous and usually used by those blinded by ambition to increase their abilities. He had never seen anyone use it for the opposite effect. But it was possible.

Magnus chucked bitterly. It seemed like no warlock could ever hide from the curse of being born. That's what warlocks all were, wasn't it? Just a curse.

Looking back down at the warlock, Magnus noticed their eyes fluttering shut. But before they fell asleep they had to warn him, the stranger they wouldn't see again. They grabbed his shirt with bloody hands, their shackles burning him where they found skin.

"You're next," they whispered before slipping unconscious.

Those were the last words they ever said.

* * *

~ Two days later ~

Alec was acting strangely and everyone noticed, even Church has started to avoid him. Now that wasn't news considering the fact that Church hated everyone. But even though Alec wasn't always comfortable around cats, he was good with them. Church preferred Alec's company to about anyone, mainly because they both liked being alone. Whenever there were parties, they'd avoid people and end up right next to each other.

And if even Church knew something was wrong, Max couldn't ignore it. He'd just have to find out on his own what was bothering Alec. If anything was ever bothering Max, Alec would do his best to cheer him up even if that meant marathons and blanket forts. Max had to do the same, and he was prepared.

Thankfully his room was on the first floor, so it won't be as hard for him to do as it was for Izzy or Jace. With a smile on his face, Max went to bed thinking about the sign of the Midnight Café in sweeping, purple cursive.

* * *

It took all Alec's restraint not to tap his finger impatiently on the counter. For the last two days the coffee thief had inexplicably disappeared. Which was ironic when he thought about it, because he didn't even know if they were ever here in first place.

Nevertheless, it made him constantly on edge and restless at work. Every time another order came in, he started wishing the coffee would never reach the customer, but instead someone else entirely. That, he realized, was decidedly wrong and Alec tried his best to stop after first noticing the habit. But he couldn't help it, he just wanted the thief back. Even if he disagreed with their morals.

Why was he so attached to a person he never met? Maybe it was because thief peaked his curiosity. Or because they were always there, one of the few reliable constants in his life. No, that didn't sound completely right either...

Trying to make sense of his tangled thoughts, Alec almost didn't notice when the clock struck nine. Almost. Because if Alec was being completely honest, he had been counting down the minutes ever since his shift started.

Only fifteen minutes left. Hope and dread churned uncomfortably in his stomach.

Thankfully the door opened and gave Alec something else to think about. The two teenagers from a few days ago (named Clary and Simon according to Maia), now visited the café daily. He tried his best to smile, but it may have come out as a grimace judging by their expressions.

"Hi, can we have a latte and a blueberry muffin?" Clary asked politely. Simon was by her side, as usual, and was looking at the specials for today. They always came together, and sat at the table in the corner of the café, a little bit away from the glass store front.

Alec nodded and stepped away to prepare their order.

He didn't know what to make of Clary, she seemed okay, but something was off about her. Whenever he looked at her, the edges of his vision blurred just a little. Like she wasn't real and if he turned away too long she'd be gone. It was disconcerting.

Simon, on the other hand, couldn't be more ordinary. The only interesting thing about him was the unrequited crush he had on his best friend.

He almost laughed at how familiar it sounded. Except Alec had to go and fall for his brother instead. Or at least he thought he did. After a few years, he realized that what he felt for Jace wasn't that kind of love.

Alec loved Jace, of course, but only as a brother and a best friend. It's just that when he realized he was gay, Alec knew there wasn't any happily ever after waiting for him. He might be gay, but that changed nothing. He had to get married to a girl, have a kid, and pass on the family name. It didn't matter what he wanted.

He knew he'd never find the one for him, because he couldn't look. His parents could never find out. So, a fourteen year old Alec convinced himself he loved his brother because it was convenient to love someone you could never be with. And it was safe to love someone you knew wouldn't break your heart.

Picking up the steaming coffee cups, Alec put a plastic lid and coffee sleeve on each. He gently placed one on the counter in front of Simon and gave him the receipt.

"Have a good day," Alec said with all the sincerity he could muster.

"Oh, thanks." Simon looked a bit dazed. He had been talking to Clary about her art project. Well, to be more accurate, he had been _watching_ Clary talk. She got really excited when it came to art and her whole face lit up when she spoke. It was really cute and Simon couldn't help trying to absorb all the details so he wouldn't forget how happy she looked.

Alec rolled his eyes in disgust. The kid adored her and it was so obvious that Alec was kind of offended. Alec spent years trying to hide not-real crush on Jace. But this kid? He literally wore his heart on his sleeve. That could _not_ be how he used to act around Jace. Right? Because this was just ridiculous.

But still it would be nice if at least one of them ended up happy.

"Good luck," Alec whispered to Simon. It was just quiet enough for Clary not hear. Simon, on the other hand, whipped around to face Alec. There was a little fear in his eyes.

Alec just glanced at him and walked away with a cappuccino in his hand.

Grabbing the stool Alec had unfortunately become more and more acquainted with over the last two days, he sat down and positioned the cup in front of him. The sleeve was filled out and the coffee was warm. Alec leaned foward, against the counter and crossed his arms on top of it.

When his head started nodding, Alec let himself relax onto his forearms. He knew it was bad that dozing off around this time was becoming a habit, but he couldn't bring himself to care much. The manager was never in and Maia usually arrived now. What's wrong with getting a little sleep? He barely slept last night.

But that's not why he slept. The idea of waiting until ten was unbearable. Every minute would coil the ever-present worry in his stomach tighter and tighter. And if after all that waiting, Alec still had to drink the cold, extremely sweet coffee he'd loose it.

So Alec drifted asleep, all the while trying to think of ways to explain his behavior to the more and more suspicious Maia.

Unfortunately the cup was still there when he woke and there was nothing he could do about it. And that bothered him more than he cared to admit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for the record, Alec was just as bad as Simon.


End file.
